Learning to throw or pitch an object, such as a ball, at a target upon which the object is to impact or pass through can be difficult, especially for younger players of games such as basketball, baseball, and football, because their body height, arm lengths, muscular power and quickness change throughout their cycle of maturation. Learning to throw or shoot a ball actually is an on-going process, because the motor motion and viewing angle of the target is different at each different particular body size and relative dimensions, which much relearning is required as the body changes size and proportions. To add to this challenge is the fact that, in some games, the game court dimensions, goal dimensions and ball size and weight are different for different age brackets. As such, while playing “little league” sports may appear simplistic, younger growing players face many challenges that mature, early adult players do not face and vice versa.
During the later adult aging processes, similar changes occur, but they occur in muscle strength, muscle quickness, slight changes in height, and reduced visual acuity. This also makes practice into more of an on-going learning process for adults, as well, even though many players do not recognize this.
Many training devices such as pitch-back targets (football, baseball) and restricted opening targets (football, baseball, and basketball) indicate an error in the pitch, throw, or shot, but they do not provide feedback to the player as to what changes or compensation to make to correct the error. Additionally, return devices tend to be bulky, large, and complicated. Targets fail to accurately define a finite point of aim and/or angles of launch. Targets fail to define an angle of entry. Other training processes fail to define a successful shot as one which is defined to maximize tolerance (centering of opportunity).
Turning to basketball, early in the history of the sport inventors used an apparatus having a circular hoop of smaller diameter placed acutely above and attached to the front of the regulation hoop as a guide to increase or assure a prescribed arc. This apparatus also had a restricted area of passage through which the practice toss of a basketball was then required to pass through to indicate a successful shot.
Since those early attempts at constructing a training aid/apparatus, numerous attempts have been invented featuring other devices providing feedback training, including: ball return; aiming and or reduced size hoop targeting devices; “proper” arc guidance or modifiers; nets; ramps, motorized directional ball return systems, video capture of visual and radio frequency indicated projectile motion path detection systems.
The complexity of the Physics associated with motion of a sphere through a fluid (air resistance) under the influence of acceleration of positive and negative values for gravitational pull between point of launch (release) and optimum passage through a horizontally disposed hoop of “reported” diameter of 18 inches (about 46 centimeters) at a commonly referred to distance of 15 feet (about 4.6 meters) for the free throw. It is not uncommon to dismiss the effect of air drag when studying or writing problems associated with motion equations as they relate/apply to basketball motion equations.
The training devices generally have been static, tethered or rotatably mounted to give way to allow the practice basketball to pass through the hoop thereby providing an immediate visual outcome. The return device portion of these training devices included massive cages, nets or shroud effects, and the arc identifiers involved computerized tracking and audible feedback which required interpretation or translation to kinetic terms and/or provide delayed result reporting.
The misinformation (myths) 18 inch (about 46 centimeters) diameter hoop when measured at center of cross section of ⅝ inch (about 1.7 centimeter) rod, is that there is an effective vertical clearance diameter of 17⅜ inches (about 44.1 centimeters). The common measure cited for the free throw is 15 feet (about 4.6 meters), which is the distance from the free throw line to the front plane of the backboard extended to the floor. The swish shot fails to maximize the opportunity for successful passage through the hoop.
The failure of athletes to comprehend and then adjust to the physics based changes associated with player growth, including increased height which modifies variables of the motion equation and then decreases the viewing angle to the basket, leads to diminishing results to many taller or tallest players.
With a range of release points from shortest to tallest players being greater than the range in player heights e.g. 5.0 feet to 7.7+ feet (about 1.5 meters to about 2.4+ meters) one angle of launch or arc definition fails to satisfy the need throughout the range of players in the sport.
What is needed is an easy to understand and easy to use accurate training aid and method to assist the individual player identify and practice to perfection targeting. Preferably, the training aid will include a ball return apparatus and training guide and score/record keeping system to identify and/or reinforce the most successful percentages for fixed length shot attempts through a series of visual and virtual targets. Preferably, the visual and virtual which aid the player in establishing a comprehension based training aid and system of use through motion equations including the effect of air drag to establish personal benchmarks for establishing a stance. The stance needs to be one which assures a point of launch in the trajectory plane. The repeatability of the stance is a result of using a repeatable method of aim to achieve an angle of entry to the hoop and to maximize the opportunity to center the ball within the maximized tolerance goal with minimal contacts with the rim on the downward flight of the ball as projected by a player using a one hand over hand release.